6 Key Elements for Throwing the Perfect Event or Party
(This post is sponsored by Forward Influence & Nintendo America. The views and opinions expressed are entirely my own. You can read my full disclosure here. )
Do you need some help throwing the perfect event?
I have planned, hosted and attended many a party and event over the years. Some simple and other quite extravagant. Some small and intimate and others quite large. Some were only for kids, some were only for adults and other were for families. No matter the size or specifics of the event or party there were always 6 elements that every successful event or party had. These 6 Elements are really the Key to throwing the perfect event every time!
This last week I got to attend an event for local influencers and their families put on by Forward Influence and Nintendo America to promote Nintendo's new 2DSXL handheld gaming system. They did a fantastic job with the event. All 6 key elements were in play. Because of this everything went smoothly and in the end, it was a night to remember which is impressive considering how many young kids were there.
So what are these 6 Key elements for a successful Event?
Focus/Theme:
Every Event or Party needs a Focus or a Theme. This comes into play not only with your decorations but also the schedule and activities of your event. Is your event or party for a special occasion (bridal, Baby, Birthday, Anniversary)? Or is it to promote something (Grand Opening, Product Release, Campaign...) Even if your party is just for fun (i.e a Game Night, Movie Night, Book Club etc) you still need to factor in how fancy or simple you want the decorations, activities and planned schedule to be. Having a Focus or Theme for your party really helps you with your planning.
As I said earlier, the focus of the Nintendo Event was to promote their new Nintendo 2DSXL handheld gaming unit. This focus/theme was present in every aspect of the event. In addition to fantastic Nintendo game decorations, they also had a fun presentation at the end of the provided dinner (before moving onto the games/activities portion of the evening) where we got to learn all about the Nintendo 2DSXL.
A few of the specs for the Nintendo 2DSXL that stood out to me were:
- Large screen (Comparable with 3DS sized Screen)
- Lighter than the 3DS since it doesn't have the 3D function
- Amiibo compatible
- Parental controls
- Can watch Netflix, Hulu & YouTube (via WiFi)
- Multiplayer game compatible
- Can play 3ds and ds games
- Can use cartridge games and downloadable games
Then to reinforce what they just presented they had a trivia-based prize giveaway for those in attendance. **For those who didn't win anything they mentioned special swag bags for all in attendance that they would be giving out at the end of the evening. This way everyone felt included and special.
Venue/Location:
When choosing your event or party venue or location make sure that it has adequate space, and parking. This is especially important if your event or party has a lot of guests. While homes are great for smaller events and parties, they don't work well for larger scale ones. (Well unless you happen to live in a Mansion...which most of us don't) You also want to take into consideration the atmosphere of the venue to make sure that fits the theme and demographics of those in attendance. For example, you probably wouldn't want to hold a bridal shower at a water park or a family event at a Bar.
Though you need to take into consideration the general size of your event before choosing your location, after you make your choice then you need to decide on exactly how many people you are inviting. Nothing is worse than having an overcrowded event. I know the saying goes, "The more the merrier." but honestly sometimes this isn't the case. This is why for event's it is a good idea to require an RSVP to reserve each guest's spot. **If the Venue is at a Location many in attendance may not be familiar with make sure to include the Address and directions with your invite (and any specific parking instructions.)
I thought it was fun that the Nintendo Event was held after hours at a Children's Museum. It had lots of space, and parking and was the perfect atmosphere for families with lots of younger kids (which this event was geared too.) There were over 200 people in attendance but we all fit together comfortably.
Yummy Food:
Food is always an important element when planning an event or party. First, you need to decide what kind of food you will be providing. Will it be just refreshments or will you be providing a meal? Next, when planning on what food to have at your event, it is important to think about who you are inviting. This is especially important if children are going to be involved. Kids are notorious for how picky they are with food. I can't tell you how many events I have been to where kids were invited but none of the food was kid friendly. Because of this, I have come to start feeding my kids before going to events even when food is said to be provided.
If you are planning an event with kids try to think of the children as well as the adults. Make sure to have things on the menu that kids will actually eat as well as food that adults will enjoy. I loved how at the Nintendo event they had delicious Pizza, that the kids were sure to love and Capri Sun juice boxes, as well as milk to drink. For the adults that wanted something a bit more healthy they offered sandwiches and salad and water. And for dessert an assortment of delicious cookies.
Games/Activities
A big part of Event/Party planning is deciding what you want your guests to do during the event/party. It's important to plan this part of your event carefully. For example, if your event involves dancing you will need to make sure your venue has an area suitable for dancing. If you even involved watching a movie, performance or presentation, then you need to make sure you have enough seating for everyone. If your event involves games you need to make sure you either provide games that everyone can play at once or multiple games/surfaces for smaller groups to play different games at the same time.
Seriously, this is the make or break element that will determine whether your event is a success or failure. For the Nintendo Event, this part of the evening came after the dinner where we got to actually play with the new Nintendo 2DSXL units. Knowing that there were going to be 200+ in attendance, they had set up several gaming stations, each dedicated to a different popular Nintendo game (Like Mario Kart7, Mario 3D Land, Super Smash Brothers, Pokemon Ultra Sun & Moon, Mario Party Top 100, Zelda Link Between Worlds)
Some of the Gaming stations were stand up station (which helped accommodate more people comfortably in the room without it being overcrowded) While other stations had comfy chairs to sit on while playing.
Photo Opps:
In the world of visual social media, everyone like a good picture they can post for the events they attend. Having at least one area decorated for fun photos to be taken is always a great idea. You don't even need to have a professional photographer stationed there to take the pics (though you can if you want) since we live in the age of smartphones and selfies.
At the Nintendo Event, they actually had multiple areas set up for fun photos which helped distract those who weren't able to be playing one of the many 2DSXL throughout the room. They also had fun Props that we were able to play with and turn into photo props available throughout the room as well.
My husband's favorite Prop was Master Sword from Legends of Zelda Game, and my kids loved jumping out of a Pipe from Mario. They also loved all the fun Mario Question Boxes scattered throughout the room that they could stack or sit on.
Swag Bag/Party Favors:
It's all about the swag. Just kidding! It's not ALL about the gifts, but gifts certainly are always appreciated. There is a reason that the best events send their guests home with a swag bag or party favor. When you send each guest off with a gift it does 3 things:
- Helps your Guest leave your Event or Party on a High Note
- Allows your guest to carry the event or party home with them.
- Makes your guest feel special. Reinforcing the positive connection you have with your guest.
- Gifts are FUN!
If you are throwing an event that has sponsors I would recommend having them donate items for the swag bags. If it is a smaller or Private event then consider a quality gift and or treat. It doesn't have to be expensive but it should fit with the theme/focus of your party and your guest demographics.
At the Nintendo Event, we were all blown away when we were given our swag bag at the end of the night and it was filled with our own Nintendo 2DSXL, 2 popular 3DS games, a gift card for the Nintendo estore and a fun Nintendo themed pencil and keychain. It also included the business card for one of the people putting on the event in case we had any follow-up questions/ requests. Each item was quality, and fit perfectly with the purpose of the Influencer event and left a lasting very positive impression (of Nintendo, Their 2DSXL system, and the event itself) with each Influencer who attended.
Yes throwing the perfect event takes work. There are sooo many logistics involved (especially if children are involved.) It takes a lot of planning and teamwork to pull of. However, in the end, it is almost always worth it. Just remember...Proper Planning Prevents a Poor Performance. And that when you include these 6 key elements into your planning you won't have a problem throwing the perfect event every time.
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